Via: City News – Chiang Mai
Via: Bangkok Post
The Immigration Bureau has approved a new regulation that allows tourists to extend their stay in the kingdom by a further 30 days, effective from Aug 29.
That will mean holidaymakers from 49 countries who enter Thailand under a 30-day visa exemption can stay for 60 days. Visitors entering on the 60-day tourist visa are still eligible for the extra stay of 30-days as per normal.
The move is designed to boost tourism, said Pol Col Voravat Amornvivat, deputy commander of the bureau’s Investigation Division.
The measure will appeal to foreign travellers who want to prolong their stay in Thailand and visit other Southeast Asian countries, Pol Col Vorarat said. The extension will cost 1,900 baht.
The bureau, however, tightened up visa extension regulations for foreigners who enroll to study Thai in private language schools outside of the official school system, as well as those working in a public charity/non-profit organisation or a foreign chamber of commerce. Those affected will be granted visa extensions of 90 days but for no more than one year.
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http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/local/429056/tourists-get-extended-visas. View our policies at http://goo.gl/9HgTd and http://goo.gl/ou6Ip. © Post Publishing PCL. All rights reserved.
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Via: Pattaya Daily New
The police officers revealed that the commander had ordered the police officers to intensify and clamp down on camel gangs after the gangs had annoyed people. In addition they will also clamp down on people who play loud music in their cars.
Previously the police officers had been notified by some local villagers that the Arabian guys had been racing their camels at speed along the bridge. Therefore the police officers arrested them. Initially the police officers had seized the bikes and fined the riders.
http://www.pattayadailynews.com/pattaya-news/arabian-motorcyclists-arrested-for-racing-in-pattaya/
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Via: Teak Door
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See more historic photos of Siam/Thailand, HERE:
http://teakdoor.com/famous-threads/39970-siam-thailand-bangkok-old-photo-thread.html
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Via: Pattaya One
Late on Wednesday Night a 52 year old American cyclist was left with serious flesh wounds after he was subjected to a frenzied knife (a butcher knife? yeah maybe) attack by a motorcyclist following a minor road accident involving the pair in Central Pattaya.
The incident occurred in Soi Xzyte off Pattaya Third Road, just after 10.30pm where Khun Prasit aged 29 works as a part-time masseur, when he is not at his full-time job as a butcher. Mr. Daniel O’Neill from America was reportedly on his bicycle and was struck by Khun Prasit who was conducting a U-turn maneuver so he could drive home after finishing his shift at the massage shop.
His motorbike came into contact with Mr. O’Neill’s bicycle and although no significant damage was caused to the bike or Mr. O’Neill, angry words were exchanges which enraged Khun Prasi. He produced a knife and attacked the American who was left with a number of slash wounds causing a significant loss of blood.
Mr. O’Neill was sent to Banglamung Hospital while Khun Prasit, who was accompanied by his Wife, later handed himself into Pattaya Police Station where he allegedly confessed to the attack.
Khun Prasit was charged with assault and awaits further legal procedures while Mr. O’Neill remains in Hospital for now as he recuperates following the violent attack.
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Personal thought:
Even if you are right, as Mr. ONeill was clearly was, don’t get into an argument with a Thai.
Q: why?
A: There’s a good chance he might be armed with a knife or gun.
Q: What if KNOW he doesn’t have a knife or gun?
A: Because there is a good chance 6-8 Thais around who will join the argument; and you are libel to have the krap kicked out of you.
WALK AWAY!
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Chiang Mai police have arrested a 17-year-old novice monk accused of stealing 20,000 baht ($625USD) from a spa.
The monk – whose name is being withheld as he is under 18 – told police that he had committed several thefts, and afterwards went out to bars dressed in a wig and women’s clothes, one report said.
CityNews reported last week that the monk had walked into a spa and ordered a large amount of spa products, saying they were a present for a senior monk.
CCTV footage shows that while staff were packing the products, he walked to the counter, opened a drawer and took a bag containing the money, before leaving the premises.
Staff at the Oasis Spa on Sirimangkalajarn Road informed police from Phu Ping Palace station, and after studying CCTV footage the suspect was named as the 17-year-old novice monk, who had been arrested for robbery before. He was convicted of stealing goods from another monk in March 2013, and was released from juvenile detention in April this year.
He told police that after he was released from jail, he was secretly ordained and stayed in a temple in Pa Sang district, Lamphun. While there, he stole money totalling around 40,000 baht from the abbot on five occasions. He also stole 5,000 baht from a monk living in another temple, and 30,000 baht and a golden necklace from a woman supporting the monks. He also confessed to stealing a credit card after taking money from the spa.
http://chiangmaicitynews.com/news.php?id=4323
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Bad lady-boy, whatcha want
Watcha want, whatcha gonna do?
When sheriff John Brown come for you
Tell me whatcha wanna do, whatcha gonna do?
Bad lady-boy, bad lady-boy whatcha gonna do?
Whatcha gonna do when they come for you?
Bad lady-boy, bad lady-boy whatcha gonna do?
Whatcha gonna do when they come for you?
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Via: Pattaya Daily News
A car which was performing a u-turn on a motorway bridge from Bangkok to Chonburi fell off the side. (Oh man, I hate when that happens!)
Fortunately there were no injuries and no other cars were involved in the accident.
reporters revealed that there was a video clip of a severe car accident which had been spread on social media web sites. The video clip was 23 seconds long. In the video a Mitsubishi car was doing a U-turn on a bridge on the Bangkok-Chonburi motorway when it accidentally fell off the edge of the bridge. It’s expected that the driver was driving too which landed on the concrete barrier. Fortunately there was no other cars or people involved.
The accident caused a lot of congestion because people were slowing down the have a look at what had happened. However the driver hadn’t suffered any server injuries from the accident and asked the police to call a tow truck.
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You can watch the video, HERE:
http://www.pattayadailynews.com/pattaya-news/car-falls-bridge-whilst-performing-u-turn/
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Oh. and Happy Holiday!
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Via: City News – Chiang Mai
Expats and tourists will not have to carry their passports on them at all times, it was reported today, following earlier reports that laws requiring foreigners to do so will soon be strictly enforced.
Police Colonel Voravat Amornvivat, a senior official at the Immigration Bureau’s headquarters in Bangkok, told Thaivisa.com that he wanted to reassure the expat community.
Tourists will not have to carry their original passports and expats can use a Thai driving licence or photocopy of their passport as a form of identification, he was quoted as saying.
“Making all foreigners in Thailand carry their original passports with them would be very difficult,” he said. “It’s about being reasonable and using common sense.”
The latest news comes amid often conflicting reports as immigration authorities crack down on visa overstayers and those who make regular ‘visa runs’.
http://www.chiangmaicitynews.com/news.php?id=4313
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Another example of a Thai SNAFU – ‘Situation Normal, ALL Fucked Up’!
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Via: City News – Chiang Mai
The Immigration Bureau in Hua Hin has announced that it will enforce rules requiring foreigners to carry a valid photo ID at all times and report within 24 hours of moving to a new address, sparking fears that these will soon be enforced nationwide.
The rules apply to both tourists and expats, Thaivisa reported, adding that they are likely to be enforced across the country.
The ID documents deemed valid are a Thai driving licence, an original passport, or a copy of the passport verified and stamped by local immigration authorities. Failure to carry one of the above may lead to a fine of 2,000 baht.
Another rule on the books states that foreigners must report to police or immigration when they visit another province and stay for more than 48 hours. However, these rules are rarely enforced.
Many expats voiced concern about the move on the Thaivisa website, pointing out that the rules were open to abuse by corrupt police officers and would discourage foreign tourists.
http://www.chiangmaicitynews.com/news.php?id=4303
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I’ve had the good fortune to live in many far-away places; from Brazil to Tokyo, from London to the Middle East.
——–
’04 and ’05 I was working in Amman, Jordan; +ten-hour days, seven days a week, eight straight weeks, followed with twelve days off.
Anywhooo, I jus’ by chance happen to hear the Stones: “Time, time, time is on my side, yes it is”; and THEN I realized, NO it’s NOT.
So I QUIT, and ended a thirty-five year career in Construction Management.
Since August of 2005, I’ve been living in Chiang Mai (the Rose of the North), Thailand.
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My other, ‘HOME of the HEART’:
– the Pacific Northwest
Go M’s! -:)
***
My FAMILY:
– I consider myself lucky in many ways, but none more so than . . .
http://jonsfamily.wordpress.com/
***
a little bit of this, a lttle bit of that; a bit of …
– everything which don’t fit in the other three
living in the 'Land of Smiles' 